la mothe



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

B. J. LA MOTHE.

METALLIU FRAME FOR RAILWAYCARS. A No. 368,343. Patenped Aug; 16, 1887.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2.

B. J. LA MOTHE.

METALLIC FRAME FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 368,343. I Patented Aug.- 16, 1887.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet a.

B. J. LA MOTHB.

METALLIC FRAME FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 368,348. Patented Aug. 16, 1887.

N. PEYEHS. vhnwumu n hu. wnnin lon, 04 c4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD J. LA MOTHE, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES ROLLING STOCK COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

METALLIC FRAME FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,343, dated August 16, 1887, Application filed July 8, 1886. Serial No. 207,524. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BERNARD J. LA Moran, of the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Metallic Railway- Cars, of which the following isa specification.

The object of this invention is to lessen the weight of the car-platform and car and to obtain great strength and durability and to lessen the cost of construction.

I make use of iron or steel bands set up edgewise to form the longitudinal plates for the car-platform, and in these bands are mortises of a size adapted to receive through them similar flat bands that lie horizontally and cross through the longitudinal bands that are set up edgewise, and the parts are keyed together at the intersections, so as to form very strong and light frames for the car-platform, and the upper works or body of the car-frame is also of flat bands connected to the platform, as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure l isa plan view with the vertical columns and side plates in section. Fig. 2 is a cross-section at the line as, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial plan view representing the manner in which the parts may be keyed together. Fig. 4 is a section at the line y Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section at the line z, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section through the bars of the platform. Fig. 7 is a section at the line g/y, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a section showing the metallic fran1e,with some of the parts modified. Fig. 9 is a sectional plan at the line z 2, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a section at the line 00 m, Fig. 8, showing the bands and the covering-plates; and Fig. 11 is a vertical section at the line :0 :0 Fig. 8.

The platform of the car is composed of longitudinal bands A A, of iron or steel, and of a width and thickness adapted to the length of car and thestrength required. These bands are flat or else troughshaped, as seen at 2, so as to be sufficiently stiff. Through these longitudinal bands A pass the transverse flat bands B, there being horizontal mortises of the proper length and width for the bands B to pass through, and the ends of these bands B are bent over or clinched, as at 3, so that they cannot draw out of the mortises in the bands A, and at the intersections of the bands A with the bands 13, I usually drive in wedges 4,

and to facilitate construction the bands B should be of the proper width and near enough to each other for the wedges 4 to-be inserted and driven home, and in so doing the trans- 5 verse horizontal bands will be separated sufficiently to bind the outer edges of the transverse bands firmly against the ends of the mortises in the longitudinal bands A, and thereby prevent the parts becoming loose or misplaced; and it is usually preferable to make the wedges of iron rods in the form of large staples, that are driven down to place, the tapering prongs passing at opposite sides of the longitudinal bands A, as seen in Figs. 6 3, 4, 5, and 11, and between the bands B, to press them apart and bind them in the mortiscs.

The vertical posts or framing of the carbody rise above the platform, the lower ends of the round post D being reduced in size to pass through mortises or openings in the upper and lower horizontal bands B, as seen in Fig. 2, and the lower ends of these tubes are spread or expanded to hold them in place 73 similarly to the tubes in steam-boilers.

The roof of the car is preferably of similar tubes,D, bent to the proper curve to form the arch of the top, and there are joint-plates 6 passing through mortises in the tubes D D So and riveted at 7, and the tie-bolts5 pass also through thesejoint-plates 6 and also through the roof-tubes D, and they extend from one column or frame D to the next, so as to straighten and stiffen the structure. 8 5

\Vhere it is desired to still further stifl'en the upper part of the structure, I make use of braces E,bent to pass over the tops of the rooftubes D and to pass diagonally down to the longitudinal bands A and vertically between them at the edges of the platform, and these braces E are held together by being passed through flattened rings 8 and 9 at the top and bottom edges of the longitudinal bands A, as seen in Figs. 8 and 9, and the lower ends of these braces E are bent outwardly or clinched below the flattened ring or clip 9.

In some parts of the car it is more convenient to make the columns in the form of flat bands D, as seen in Figs. 8, 9,10, the lower 1L9 ends of these fiat bands being reduced in width to form shoulders above the mortises in the bands B, through which said bands 1) pass and are secured by turning up or clinching their lower ends.

Usually the columns D are made with a longitudinal incision in the vertical outer portions, or the columns are made of a strip of band metal or drawn up into the form of a tube, the edges being at a slight distance from each other, to form alongitudinal slot, and into this slot in each column are inserted the vertical returned edges of the covering-plates H, as shown at 10.

The vertical returned edges of the plates H (shown in Figs. land pass in between the vertical bands D, and the extreme edges are hooked around the inner edges of such bands D and the intervening space is filled by a strip of wood or other material, which is by preference covered with sheet metal, as seen at 12, Fig. 10.

The covering-plates of sheet metal are of suitable thickness. In Figs. 1 and 10 they are represented as thicker in proportion to the bands than they would be made use of in order to more clearly represent the direction in which the edges are folded.

The manner in which the upper part of the car will be finished will depend upon the-use that is to be made of the car. For instance, a platform or gondola .car will have a frame similar to that shown sectionally in Fig. 6, with a flooring, and either posts at the edges of the platform or movable sides. A freight car will be made with upper works upon the platform, as shown in Figs. 1, 2', 8, 9, 10, and the inclosing material will usually be metallic plates, fastened on as before described, and for passenger-cars the interior of the frame is to be padded or otherwise finished in any usual manner.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a car-platform, of longitudinal iron or steel bands set up edgewise and having narrow incisions or narrow mortises through them, and transverse metal bands passed through. the narrow mortises and incisions and occupying horizontal positions, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a metallic carframe, of longitudinal iron or steel bands set up edgewise and trough-shaped in section and having incisions or narrow mortises through them, transverse metal bands passed through the narrow mortises, and vertical columns the lower ends of which are reduced and pass through openings in the horizontal metal bands, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a metallic car-frame, of longitudinal iron or steel bands set up edgewise and'having incisions or narrow mortises through them, transverse metallic bars passing in pairs through such mortises, and keys or wedges driven in between the metallic bands,

substantially as set forth.

.41. The combination, in a metallic car-frame,

of longitudinal iron or steel bands set up edgewise and having narrow mortises through them and transverse horizontal bars, columns secured to the transverse bars, the roof-tubes D, the joint-plates 6, and tie-rods 5, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a metallic car-frame, of longitudinal iron or steel bands set up edgewise and having narrow mortises through them and transverse horizontal bars, columns secured to the transverse bars, the roof-tubes D, and the braces E and tie rods 5, substantially as set forth. B. J. LA MOTHE.

Witnesses:

Gno. T. PINOKNEY, WILLIAM G. Mom. 

